The Story Behind The Bugatti Chiron Exclusive Hypercar

As the auto world eagerly prepares for the annual Geneva Motor Show next week, I was reminded of an intriguing interview from Geneva Palexpo last year. Bugatti had just unveiled the Chiron – the hypercar to succeed the much-loved Veyron. Built in limited numbers, it is the most powerful, the fastest and most exclusive production car by the luxury marque. Almost every element seen on the Chiron supports engineering. Form strictly follows performance here for automotive design of incredible purity. Naturally, I had to meet the designer, Bugatti's creative director Achim Anscheidt to find out more.

Nargess Banks: The Chiron is very dramatic in the metal. Was the duality of the design - the drama of the C motif contrasting with the simple, almost serene sculptural surfacing - intentional?

Achim Anscheidt: When we found out the power and aerodynamic increase and knew the new targets to be achieved by this car are so high, we realized there were so many areas around the car that needed to be changed substantially and the only way to achieve this is to stick closely with engineering.

NB: Can you explain how you worked with design to aid performance?

AA: Performance for our cars mainly means getting rid of the heat from front brakes and rear engine – the energy sources. The biggest problem we had on the Veyron was how to get rid of the hot air that is trapped inside the powerplant and the hot turbo chargers on the bottom. So, with the Chiron most elements are linked to temperature handling.

For instance, the C shape may look like a styling element - and you can be very romantic and see a resemblance to the Bugatti signature line to the Type 49 Royal, or even to Louis Chiron’s signature - but this is a performance element designed to get more air in and out of the engine compartment.

NB: After all ‘form follows performance’ is at the heart of the Bugatti design DNA…

AA: Absolutely, it allows us to explain and orchestrate everything in an authentic way. If these elements are strong everything else will go relatively calmly and remain in the background. There are no lines on the Chiron body side, just one on the rear fender, whilst everything else is organic.

NB: Would you say this adds to the car’s timeless appeal?

AA: It is important for our cars to be valuable not only today, but in five, ten, even fifty years and the best way to achieve this is to be very authentic in what we do. The cleaner the design, the better it will survive the test of time.

NB: Do designing hugely exclusive cars such as the Chiron restrict or liberate the designer?

AA: I find it liberating to realize a concept like this. It took a long time - we looked at various designs, talked with management and only in 2010 finalized the Chiron concept. My career was so dependent on this car. It has been so close to me.

NB: How would you summarize the Bugatti design philosophy?

AA: The magic happens when you minimize all the factors to a couple of key statements around the car. If you look at the Bauhaus buildings from the twenties and thirties from where I live in Berlin, they still look wonderful. They are not modern anymore in terms of today’s architecture. Yet because they stood for something, had a strong belief, they remain precious and valuable and will stand the test of time.

NB: What does luxury mean to Bugatti?

AA: We don’t like to dilute the core value we stand for: producing the world’s most powerful cars. I see our cars much like a valuable wristwatch - so much craft and expertise has gone into the making of these objects and admiration for them will last forever. This is what the Chiron is going to do. I see it as being the tourbillon of the automotive industry. This is what Bugatti is destined to do.